I’m all about saving money on back-to-school shopping. In fact, I’ll be on the “10! Show” on NBC 10 in Philadelphia this morning talking about just that.
But I also like the notion of making sure that my kids’ school supplies are as green as possible. Maybe you do, too. That’s why I’ve come up with these 3 ways that you can green your back-to-school shopping.
- The greenest school supplies are the ones you already own. Think about it: if you don’t have to drive to the store or buy anything new and you can reuse or recycle supplies from last year, then you have made the greenest choice possible. That’s why I always reuse backpacks and book covers whenever possible. Besides being green, this saves me green, too.
- When buying new supplies, choose eco-friendly options. I love that office supply stores now have notebooks and pens made from recycled materials. Additionally, you can find PVC-free binders and backpacks, too, so say the experts at Rodale.
- Pack green lunches and you’ll save green, too. All you need to do to save $500 a year is pack your kid’s lunch every day. Save even more money on disposables–and save the planet as well–by investing in reusable lunch containers, such as the Sandwich Keeper from Tupperware (got mine at a Tupperware party years ago and it’s still going strong), a stainless steel water bottle and Rubbermaid TakeAlongs. Don’t forget the reusable, washable lunch tote, too. (I swear by the L.L. Bean lunch boxes.) All together you have the supplies you need to pack lunch, save money and not create any unnecessary waste.
Let me know if you have additional ways to make back-to-school shopping and the supplies you get as green as possible.
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My girls have never bought school lunches, so I’ve invested in good lunch boxes and food containers that will last for years. I’m a big fan of LL Bean and Lands’ End boxes because not only are they well-made, they’re PVC free.
For food containers, we’re using Lunchskins pouches and To Go Ware. They cost a bit more up front, but will last for a long time and will cut way back on waste.
I am so glad you posted this because that is EXACTLY what I calculated ($2.40 + 50 cents for milk times about 175 days = $507.) I shocked my husband who kept saying school lunches weren’t that expensive.
I have more questions now though… for example, if we bought a bunch of bell peppers, how long do they last? Or put another way, for healthy foods that require a little prep, what is the timeline on prep for them to last all week? My son LOVES fruits and veggies so we not only can avoid chips, he wouldn’t even like them as much!
I’m also wondering how overly-containery I want to get and which ones clean the best. (He forgets to bring it home and a few days later we have fascinating life forms growing in the containers….)
Thanks for any help!
I’ve been a big advocate of home-packed lunches forever. You can save a ton of money and be more eco-conscious at the same time. But it’s not quite correct that you’ll save the entire cost of a school lunch. Even if you pack home-made soups, sandwiches and treats, use a thermos for drinks and slice up fruits and veggies, you still have to pay for those raw materials. They just won’t be quite as expensive as those prepared at school…and they’ll be so much healthier.
Regarding Elizabeth’s question: bell peppers will last a couple of weeks in the fridge if they are very fresh and are stored in something like the SaladSac (a terry cloth bag that is a must for fresh greens and works for other veggies as well).
If you want to avoid plastic altogether, like my friend Beth Terry from Fake Plastic Fish advocates, try using aluminum lunch kits. They are a throw back to the 50s!
Great tips! I agree you should take pack lunches cheaper and healthy for you
[...] 3 Ways to Make School Supplies Green [...]
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